HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE HALTS CONSTRUCTION IN WEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002043 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/RAMCHAND/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2018 TAGS: KWBG IS PBTS PGOV SUBJECT: HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE HALTS CONSTRUCTION IN WEST BANK OUTPOST Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. The Israeli High Court of Justice issued a temporary injunction on November 12 against continued construction on 35 housing units in Jabal Artis (aka Pisgat Yacov) outpost, north of Beit El settlement. According to the lawyer representing the two Palestinian owners of the land on which the outpost is built, the Court's order represents a "daring and far-reaching" decision in favor of Palestinian landowners and may set a precedent for other outposts. End summary. ISRAELI HIGH COURT ISSUES INJUNCTION -------------- ¶2. (C) Lawyer Dror Etkes of Yesh Din, an NGO providing legal assistance, told PolOff November 13 that the Israeli High Court issued a temporary injunction against further construction on and occupation of 35 housing units in Jabal Artis (aka Pisgat Yacov) outpost, north of Beit El settlement. Etkes, who represents the Palestinian owners of the land in question, said the order may have implications for other cases, because there are hundreds of similar removal orders pending against illegal settlements built on private Palestinian land. He said removal orders had been pending against the illegal Jabel Artis/Pisgat Yacov outpost for years, but "the government was never serious about carrying them out." Etkes said he is not sure what tipped the Court's scales in favor of the Palestinian landowners, but the Court rejected the settler defense that the construction was necessary for religious reasons. SETTLERS SCRAMBLE TO OCCUPY ILLEGAL OUTPOST HOUSING UNITS -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Etkes said the 35 housing units subject to the High Court's injunction include five buildings and five caravans. He said settlers began scrambling to occupy all the housing units when Yesh Din filed an appeal two weeks ago, to deter government enforcement of the injunction. Etkes said he expects the GOI to claim it plans to evacuate and demolish the housing units following this "daring and far-reaching" High Court injunction, but is skeptical about prospects for follow-through. WALLES